hebrew · religious

The Book of Ezekiel — The Vision of the Chariot

c. 593–571 BCE · Babylonian Exile · Babylon (exile)

Chapter 1 — The Vision of the Four Living Creatures

1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month,
2In the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar,
3That the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
4And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north,
5A great cloud, and a fire infolding itself,
6And a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof
7As the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
8Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures.
9And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
10And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
11And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot:
12And they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
13As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man,
14And the face of a lion, on the right side:
15And they four had the face of an ox on the left side;
16They four also had the face of an eagle.
17Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth
18By the living creatures, with his four faces.
19The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl:
20And they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was
21As it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
22When they went, they went upon their four sides:
23And they turned not when they went.
24As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful;
25And their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
26And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them:
27And when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
28Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went,
29Thither was their spirit to go;
30And the wheels were lifted up over against them:
31For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
32And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne,
33As the appearance of a sapphire stone:
34And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
35And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it,
36From the appearance of his loins even upward,
37And from the appearance of his loins even downward,
38I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
39As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain,
40So was the appearance of the brightness round about.
41This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
42And when I saw it, I fell upon my face,
43And I heard a voice of one that spake.

Chapter 37 — The Valley of Dry Bones

44The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD,
45And set me down in the midst of a valley which was full of bones,
46And caused me to pass by them round about:
47And, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
48And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?
49And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
50Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them,
51O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
52Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones;
53Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.
54So I prophesied as I was commanded:
55And as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking,
56And the bones came together, bone to his bone.
57And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them,
58And the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
59Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man,
60And say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
61Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
62So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them,
63And they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

notes

The Book of Ezekiel records the prophecies of the priest Ezekiel, who was among the Judeans exiled to Babylon in 597 BCE. His visions are the most visually extraordinary in the Hebrew Bible: the opening chariot vision (Merkabah) — four-faced living creatures, wheels within wheels covered with eyes, a crystalline firmament, and the glory of God enthroned above — became the foundation of a major strand of Jewish mysticism (Merkabah mysticism) that flourished from the 1st century BCE through the medieval period. The vision's description of the divine chariot (Hebrew: merkavah) was so influential that rabbinic authorities restricted its public teaching. Chapter 37's vision of the valley of dry bones — the resurrection of the dead of Israel — is one of the most powerful images of national restoration in world literature. Chapters 38–39 introduce Gog and Magog, apocalyptic enemies who attack Israel at the end of days — figures later adopted into Christian apocalyptic (Revelation 20) and Islamic eschatology. Translation from the King James Version (1611). Public domain.

currently held: Manuscript tradition

AfterlifeHebrew BibleDivine CouncilCosmologySon of Man

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